The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation (IiO) presented five awards to financial advisors who demonstrated commitment in giving back to their communities during its 18th annual Invest in Others Awards Gala in Boston on Thursday.
The program includes five categories and honors advisors who volunteer their time and talents to support nonprofit organizations, positively impacting lives and the communities they serve, according to IiO.
Sponsors included Ameriprise, Apollo, Cambridge, Cetera Financial Group, Commonwealth Financial Network, Fidelity Investments, LPL Financial, Merrill, MFS, Natixis Investment Managers, Orion, Osaic and Private Advisor Group, IiO said Friday.
The charity honored the winner of its Lifetime Achievement Award, Marc Cassalina of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a $100,000 grant to his designated charity, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
The charities supported by winners named in the remaining four award categories received a $60,000 grant from IiO. Shawn Tydlaska of Ballast Point Financial Planning in Burlingame, California, received the Catalyst Award for his work with the BLX Internship Program. Candace G. Kaplan of Kaplan Financial Group in Rockville, Maryland, earned the Community Service Award for her work with the Jewish Social Service Agency.
Derek C. Fiorenza of Summit Group Retirement Planners in Exton, Pennsylvania, received the Emerging Impact Award for his work with Fiorenza’s Food For Friends. The Volunteer of the Year Award went to Leon A. Henry of 3 C Financial Service in Weatherford, Texas, for his work with the Careity Foundation.
The designated charities of 10 finalists received donations of $25,000 each, while charities designated by the 75 recipients of honorable mentions received donations of $2,000 each.
Executive Tribute
IiO also presented its inaugural Executive Tribute to industry veteran Sanjiv Mirchandani, who retired in early 2024 after 27 years at Fidelity Investments, in honor of his efforts to raise awareness and funds for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Mirchandani started his mission while fighting his own Parkinson’s disease battle, IiO said.
A special fundraising campaign raised over $550,000 in Mirchandani’s honor, with proceeds to be equally shared between IiO and the Michael J. Fox Foundation, according to the press release.
The “tireless dedication and impactful service” of the finalists and award recipients are “making a real difference in the lives of individuals throughout the country,” said R. Barkley Payne, Executive Director of IiO.
Jeff Berman, Contributing Editor and Reporter at Wealth Solutions Report, can be reached at jberman@wealthsolutionsreport.com.
